Caution: This is tough read!

For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. 1 Corinthians 4:20

What is the single most important need in the American Church?
The question was posed to some prominent church leaders in a short video clip. After the third pastor said discipleship, I was hoping that the last one will say something different.

Here is what I think and I will tell you why.
The single most important need of the church in America is understanding and experiencing the supernatural. When I say supernatural, what I mean is not only that there is a God, a supernatural God, but that He is intimately involved in the affairs of man. I mean that He still works miracles, I mean that the Holy Spirit is still moving in power. The blind still see, the lame still walk, the dead is raised to life, demons are cast out and people still get healed today.

In places like Africa, the debate of whether there is a God or not does not exist. It is not a conversation that is being carried on a daily basis. Because for all African across the continent, their worldview is the supernatural. They are encapsulated by it. They may not serve the true Almighty God, or even believe in Jesus, but from morning till night – from life to death, their lives are wrapped up in the supernatural.

When a child is born a ceremony is held and he is dedicated to some god. When a person dies a ceremony is held and he is given back to the gods for safe keeping. Almost everything is wrapped up in the supernatural. I caution you never to reduce or dismiss these things to merely superstition. Here is why: Everything you call superstition is manipulated by Satan and his demon spirits and these my friend are real. Here is how I know that there is a God in heaven who still works miracles today – “The powerful name of Jesus!” I have used that name and have seen demons tremble. At the mention of that name every knee bows, every tongue in heaven, on earth and beneath the earth confesses that Jesus is Lord. Philippians

The supernatural has always been a problem for the Western or AMERICAN church to wrap their brain around. It is not a curse, it is just a worldview. This worldview has wired you to refuse everything supernatural and reduce them to matter and it’s interaction. Even pastors and religious leaders, no matter how well versed they are; are encapsulated and influenced by this culture and its worldview.

Understanding and experiencing the supernatural is the most pressing need in the church in America. It has always been and will always be. You will find a remedy to church drop outs, to church doors closing, to church compromise to sin, and spiritual death.

If you had asked the very same question to a group of African pastors and they said, “we need more of the supernatural.” I’m going to say “no you don’t, you have a lot of that.” Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that there is no room for more or for improvement, but what the African church really needs is bible school teachers, more solid pastoral training, a discipleship program that is effective, reaching the countless millions who are without pastors and teaches. That is the greatest need of the church in Africa, not in America. We have those in abundance.

America it is your time to experience the supernatural. It is time to call the church back to prayer, holiness, and dependence on God. It is your time to get with the move of the supernatural. People are hungry, broken, messed up and looking for something more. In my short nine (9) years living in the states, I have seen the church do everything to entertain, while people remain broken, empty and desperate. People need something more than a three point sermon and a poem. They need something more than the duplicate. Why do we settle for the duplicate when we can have the real deal?

That is because no one wants to pay the price. We think we can live as we we want and still expect God to move. No, we need to cut sin out. We think we can bring the world into the church and expect God to move. No worldliness and the church don’t go hand in hand. We think we can allow our children to watch Harry porter, and vampires and project x and still expect a revival to break out among them. We expect God to move in our youth groups through the bloody and gruesome video games we allow them to play at church – who are you kidding? The church has always thrived on prayer, holy living, fasting, discipleship and good old fashion signs and wonder. That is what we call the kingdom of God!

And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

Blessed is the one who is not offended by the supernatural.